1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to module board locating machines, and more particularly to apparatus movable over a work area of component inserting machines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the manufacture and assembly of module and similar type printed circuit or printed wire boards, the insertion or assembly of a particular component to the module board is frequently repetitive. At a particular station along an assembly process, an operator frequently is required to insert more than one electrical component onto the module board. These boards are frequently quite small, to achieve economy of space and weight. Similarly, the electrical components are small. It is extremely important that the electrical component be inserted into the module board at a precise location and at a precise orientation so that its prongs or electrical connectors will connect properly within the circuit on the board.
It is customary in the assembly of module boards to use an electrical component inserter. Such a machine normally has a chute having forced air flow therethrough. The electrical component is delivered through a nozzle at one end of the chute onto a module or printed circuit board. The electrical component frequently is a module such as a dual in-line package module (DIP), a transistor-transistor logic module (TTL) or a diode-transistor logic module (DTL) or the like. Such modules frequently have prongs or what appear to be legs which constitute the electrical connector of the circuit within the module for connection to the circuitry provided on the board. Such inserter machines are fairly reliable, and deliver the component in a fairly reliable orientation with some degree of force. Some inserter machines can be programmed to deliver a variety of predetermined or preselected different types of modules, such as DIPs, TTLs and the like. In such circumstances, a module board is located or positioned underneath the inserter machine chute for the reception of one module, then is repositioned to receive a second module, and so forth. After the assembly of the desired modules at this particular assembly station, the module board is passed to the next assembly station.
It is not unknown that toward the end of a work shift the operator becomes tired, and the precision with which the module board is located relative to the component inserter decreases, oftentimes critically. Thus, it is continually desired to obtain machines and implements which reduce assembler fatigue while aiding the assembler to maintain location precision even after long hours of tedious work.